Soap holder



New. 16, 1948. J. .L NEMETH 2,454,083,

' soAP HOLDER Filed March 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. J. NEMETH Nov. 16, 1948.

soa? HOLDER Filed March 1, 1945 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT O F FICE SOAP HOLDER `loseph J. Nemeth, New York, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1945, Serial No. 580,349

( C1.v lECS- 28) 11 Claims.

This' inventionrelfates to improvements to soap andhas particular reference to an improved soap cake and holder or receptacle therefor.

Soap cakeslas now manufactured and sold, including toilet soapr'as well as laundry-and cleaning`r soap, are provided in generally square or rounded cakes-of substantially homogeneous soap material. Such cakes,V when Wet, are slippery and d-.ii'cult to handle andwhen placed in an ordinary holder or receptacle form a'soap jelly inthe bottom ofthe receptacle which Wastes soap, renders it difcult to remove the soap from the receptacle and introduces an element of untidiness necessitating frequentclean-ing of soap receptacles.

Means heretoforev suggested for alleviating these conditions have consistedin embodying a cord, stem or hook in the soap cake so that the cake can be hung on some convenient projection when` not in use. These proposed arrangements have not met With general. approval for various reasons among which are probably the fact that a convenient hook or bracket is `not provided in the usual bathroom, lavatoryn or kitchen and if the soap is hung up while wetthere is an objectionable. drip on. the fixtures` or floor.

Present soap cakes` also are extremely Wasteful. in that. there is. always a residual piece of soap thatbecomes thin enough to break or crumble before it can be used up. The soap in. such a residual. piece is not only Wasted but the small pieces of soap tend tolodge in drains and frequently leadto unsatisfactory functioning of the plumbing. It is .not known that any special remedy for this condition has heretofore been proposed.

Also, it is a matter of common knowledge that the brand name, trademark, manufacturers name and/or advertising matter are usually imprinted into the surface of the soap cake and that these impressions are lost when the soap has been used a very few times.

It is accordingly among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved soap cake which provides a rm and non-slippery grip for the user even When the soap `cake is Wet.

A further object of the invention resides in theprovision of an improved soap cake and holder therefor so constructed. that the soap cake. is suspended out of contact with the holder, thus precluding the formation of soap jelly in the holder and consequent Wastage of soap.

A" further object resides in the provision of an.

improved soap cake and holder therefor so constructed. that the soapvmay be. easilyand quickly inserted; in theV holder or receptacleand removed the` receptacle when .not in use.

An `additional object resides in the provision ofA an improvedv soap cake having areinforcingcorer member extending therethrough so that all ofthen soap in thecake can be usedand there Willbe no residual unusable pieces to be Wasted or to* interfere With proper functioning of drainage plumbing.

Another object resides in theprovision of an improved soap cake having embedded therein a member of relatively rigid insoluble material, to which advertising or other matter'may be appli-ed so that it will remain in. evidence until the soap cake is entirely used up.

Yet another: obje-ctA resides in the vprovision of an improved soap cake and hol-der therefor so constructed that the soap cake is suspended out of contact With-the holder and' a cover which, when applied to the holder, is denitely spaced from the soap cake.

Other objects and advantages ofthe invention will become apparent as the description proceeds in connectionl With the accompanying drawings..y

and fromV the appended claims.

In the drawings:` Figure '1, isan elevational view of an improved soap holder orfreceptacle with a cover applied..y

thereto;

Figure 2A is a plan` view of the soap holder shown in Figure 1 with the cover removed and a soap.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view Ion the line` ll--A of Figurev 2 with the cover in place; n

Figure 5 .is a transverse vertical sectional View on. the line 5-5 of Figure 1; y

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view onY the line 6 6 of Figure 1; and

Figure 'T is a perspectiveview of a core member whichr is embedded in the body of soap material comprising the improved soap cake.

With continued reference tothe drawings, and particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3', the numeral ID generally indicates the soap holder or receptaclev and the numeral l2 generally indicates acover for the soap holder. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is in no Way limited to the provision of acover for the improved soap holder, but that the holder maybe installedas'a permanent fixture in a bathroom, lavatory or kitchen or other desirable location and no coverv provided. The cover provides -a convenient p-ortable receptacle for the improved soap cake and 3 particularly one which may be conveniently packed in luggage for traveling or to provide an individual soap container where a number of persons are required to use the same lavatory facilities.

The soap holder may be conveniently formed of some resinous plastic material or of ceramic material or metal as may be desired and comprises a hollow body having an interior cavity I4 somewhat larger than a new cake of soap. At each end of the cavity I4 there is provided an integral seat, as indicated at I6 and I8. Each seat v has an upper edge substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the holder and spaced above the bottom wall a distance at least as great as onehalf the thickness of a soap cake and preferably a somewhat greater distance to provide an adequate space between the bottom surface of the soap cake and the bottom of the holder so that Water, dripping from the soap cake or accidentally splashed into the holder, will not come in contact with the soap. Each of these seats may conveniently comprise a web portion 28, which is in effect a continuation of the bottom wall of the holder, and a pair of reinforcing flange portions 22 and24 which not only reinforce the web portion but provide abutments at each end of the seat for a purpose which will presently appear. The soap receiving concavity of the holder may be surrounded by a lateral web portion 26 having peripherally thereof a flange 28 along the free edge of which may be provided suitable tabs or legs as indicated at 30 and 32.

The improved soap cake comprises an elongated core member generally indicated at 34, one form of which is particularly illustrated in Figure 7. This core member may be formed of any suitable relatively rigid and insoluble material such as wood, plastic resin, treated paper, etc. The core has an intermediate portion 36 which is preferably elliptical in cross section, as is particularly illustrated in Figures and 6, and the cross sectional dimensions of the intermediate portion of the core preferably approximate the dimensions of the residual piece of the soap cake which is unusable because of its tendency to break or crumble. At each end of the intermediate portion 36, the core member may be provided with a grooved or reduced portion, as indicated at 38 and 4U, and beyond these reduced portions, may be provided with transversely extending end or grip portions, as indicated at 42 and 44. Preferably the outer end surfaces of the grip portions are serrated, grooved orroughened as indicated at 46 to provide an improved grip for thehand when handling the soap cake, especially when wet. These end portions 42 and 44 may carry such advertising or instructive matter as may be desired and since the material thereof is relatively insoluble, such material will remain in evidence for the entire life of the soap cake. The edges and corners of the endportions 42 and 44 are roundedV as indicated by the shading in Fig. '7 to prevent injury to the user of a bar of soap containing the core member 34. Surrounding the core member 34 there is a body of soap material 50 which has the core substantially at its center and may be of the size and general shape of a cake of soap of any selected brand now on the market. If desired, the intermediate portion of the core member may be perforated or have its surface roughened so that the soap material will adhere thereto until completely used up.

In the particular form illustrated, the body of soap material has a main portion 52 of generally rectangular cross section and a ridge portion along each edge, as indicated at 54 and 56. As particularly shown in Figure 2, these ridge portions 54 and 56 are brought around the ends of the main body 52 and form extensions, one of which is indicated at 58, at the ends of the body of soap material, the outer surfaces of which extensions lie substantially in a common plane with thecorresponding end surface of the grip portion of the core member. By making the end portions of the soap body at each side of the projecting or exposed end portion of the core member flush with the end of the core member, the Wrapping and packaging of the soap is greatly facilitated and the wrappings will not be broken by the projecting core ends.

While the above described form of soap cake has been found to be advantageous, the invention s not necessarily limited to any particular form, it being necessary only for the purpose of accomplishing the invention that the ends of the core member be exposed, one at each the soap cake is definitely located in a longitudinal direction relative to the holder. At the same time, the ends of the corresponding flange portions 22 and 24 form abutments for the corresponding edges of the core member to locate the soap cake in the holder against lateral displacement. The soap cake is thus suspended, as is clearly indicated in Figures 4 and 5, entirely out of contact with any portion of the holder and will remain in a dry and solid condition and will not form soap jelly in the holder.

The cover member I2 is generally domeshaped and has a terminal flange portion 60 which closely fits the flange portion 28 of the holder I0. Internally the cover member is preferably provided with a pair of webs as indicated at 62 and 64, the lower edges of which rest upon the upper surfaces of the corresponding core notches 38 and 40 and hold the cover member spaced from the surface of the soap cake as is clearly illustrated in Figure 4 and retain the core member on the seats of the holder so that the cake cannot become loose in the holder. Externally the flange portion 6D of the cover member is surrounded by a bead 66 and the holder fiange 28 is surrounded by an integral external bead 68. These beads are spaced apart and provide convenient grips to facilitate removal of the cover from the holder I0.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and language of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. In the combination of a soap cake and a holder therefor, a rigid core for said cake having exposed end portions; means in said holder adapted to support said soap cake by the end portions of said core; and a cover for said holder having means adapted to contact the end portions of said core to space said cover from said soap cake.

2. A soap holder comprising a receptacle having a seat therein spaced inwardly from each end thereof; and a cover engageable with said receptacle and having a depending projection therein spaced from each end thereof and Idisposed in Vertical registration with each seat.

3. A soap holder as dened in claim 2 wherein said receptacle and said cover have intertting ange portions and each flange is provided with a surrounding bead, said beads being spaced to provide convenient means for removing said cover from said receptable.

4. In combination, a soap cake; an elongated core extending through said soap cake with its ends projecting beyond said soap cake, each of the projecting ends of said elongated core being provided with a transverse notch; and a holder for said soap cake including a body portion, and a pair of spaced seats on said body portion engaged with the notched ends of said elongated core and arranged to support said soap cake in spaced relation to said body.

5. A soap cake, comprising: a body of soap material; an elongated core extending through said body of soap material with its ends projecting beyond the ends of said body of soap material, each of the projecting ends of said core being provided with a transverse notch adapted to be engaged with a seat on a soap holder.

6. In combination, a soap cake; an elongated horizontal core extending through said soap cake with its ends projecting beyond said soap cake, each of the projecting ends of said core being provided with a transverse notch on the upper and lower sides thereof; a holder for said soap cake including a body portion and a pair of spaced seats projecting upwardly from said body portion 4and engaged with the notches formed in the lower side of said core; and a cover for said soap cake holder including downwardly projecting webs engaged with the notches in the upper side of said core.

'7. In combination, a soap cake; an elongated core extending centrally through said soap cake with its ends projecting beyond said soap cake; and a holder for said soap cake including a body portion, a pair of transverse seats projecting upwardly from said body portion engaged with the ends of said elongated core and supporting said soap cake in spaced relation to said body, and projections at each end of said transverse seats arranged to limit transverse movement of said elongated core relative to said seats.

8. In combination, a soap cake; a core extending through said soap cake with its ends projecting beyond said soap cake; a holder for said soap cake; a cover for said holder; and means extend- 6 ing from said holder and cover, respectively, erigageable with the projecting ends of said core arranged to maintain said soap cake out of contact with the walls of said holder and cover.

9. In combination, a soap cake; a core in said soap cake; a holder for said soap cake; a cover for said holder; and means extending from said holder and cover, respectively, engaging with said core and arranged to maintain said soap cake out of contact with the walls of said holder and cover.

10. In combination, a soap cake; a core in said soap cake; a holder for'said soap cake; means on said holder engaging a surface on said core to support said soap cake out of contact with said holder; a cover for said holder; and means on said cover engaging another surface on said core to maintain said cover out of contact with said soap cake.

11. In combination, a soap cake; a corein said soap cake; a holder for said soap cake; means extending upwardly from said holder and supporting said soap cake out oi contact with said holder; a cover for said holder; and means depending from said cover and engaging said core to maintain said cover out of contact with said soap cake, said holder and cover having surfaces in frictional engagement for retaining said cover in assembled relation With said holder and for firmly holding said soap cake in fixed position within said holder and cover when not in use.

JOSEPH J. NEMETl-I.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 'die of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 549,831 Stever Nov. 12, 1895 567,284 Stebbins Sept. 8, 1896 581,861 Hessler May 4, 1897 626,540 Hoffmann June 6, 1899 635,592 Rauho Oct. 24, 1899 750,815 Coon Feb. 2, 1904 846,936 Nishimoto Mar. 12, 1907 1,311,666 Perkins July 29, 1919 1,441,315 Walbridge Jan. 9, 1923 1,478,882 Bailly Dec. 25, 1923 1,707,334 Unfried Apr. 2, 1929 1,997,474 Stone Apr. 9, 1935 2,269,303` Backstrom Jan. 6, 1942 2,356,056 Hogg Aug. 15, 1944 2,359,797 Schnider Oct. 10, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 90,656 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1921 222,997 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1924 

